It is well known to secure cargo on a platform or pallet by means of a net lying over the cargo and secured to the platform or pallet. Conventionally, such nets comprise a main panel, having a plurality of wing panels extending therefrom. The net typically has a generally rectangular main panel and four generally rectangular wing panels, thus forming a generally cruciform shape.
To secure the cargo on the platform or pallet, the main panel of the net is lain on top of the cargo and the wing panels arranged to hang down against the sides of the cargo to surround the cargo. The meeting edges of adjacent wing panels are releasably secured together to form a corner by means of a so-called “lashing line” or “corner tie”. The lashing line or corner tie is a cord which extends from the main panel of the net between the wing panels. To form the corner between adjacent wing panels, the lashing line or corner tie is threaded to and fro between the wing panels at the meeting edges in a downwards direction away from the main panel, to lace the meeting edges together, before being tied off with a knot, or secured by a hook, near the platform or pallet.
The bottom edges of the wing panels are provided with securement devices, e.g. floor fittings, which are adapted to engage with complementary devices of the platform or pallet, whereby the net is secured to the platform or pallet.
To release the net, the above securement procedure is reversed.
Such known nets suffer from a number of disadvantages. The operation of threading and unthreading the lashing line can be slow and troublesome. Moreover, the lashing lines can become knotted and tangled. The securement knot at the end of a lashing line can be difficult to release, and it is quite common for cargo handlers to cut a lashing line for release, if the knot has tightened during transport or if the line has become entangled with the net. It is then necessary for a fresh lashing line to be provided before the net can be reused.